Separating device for removing from a gaseous fluid another fluid in liquid phase



July 4, 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,556

SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet l Eig, j, 36

July 4, 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,556

. SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 vV/T/VESS.

y 50 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,555

SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 74 v wg y w/wvEs's Br July 4, 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,556

- SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 vv/TNESS July 4, 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,555

SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Big. 6 36 INVE/VTG/P WIT/VVESS flTTO iNE) y 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,556

SEPARATING DEvIcE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 v/TNESS BY ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 A. A. FURCZYK 2,513,555

SEPARATING DEVICE FOR REMOVING FROM A GASEOUS FLUID ANOTHER FLUID IN LIQUID PHASE Filed May 5, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 1 1/9. 9, i/ 60 39c 35d 75 I": 11 :5- i x I l/ m I 76 l: g i l "WM; *-J/ J5 J5 W/ TNEJS being employed as the inlet may be used to connect a conventional pressure relief valve or pressure gauge to the device ll).

In order to protect the horizontally disposed porous member I! from foreign matter which may accompany the gas entering the inlet 12, a horizontallydisposed shield 31 is provided immediately above the member I7 and below the inlet I2. The shield 31 in section is arcuateshaped, as shown in Fig. 2, and overlies the entire length of the porous member H. in Fig. 1, the shield 31 serves as a protective umbrella which is formed integrally with the casing I l and projects from the side wall thereof toward a region closely adjacent to the partition 23. v

The side Wall of leasing ll intermediate the top and bottom thereof is provided with an apertured boss 38 which is inclined upwardly and forms an opening threadedly receiving a plug-39. The plug 39 is referred to as a priming plug, as will be described more fully hereinafter, and is preferably positioned at a level adjacent the top closed end-ofporous member 26. Within the porous member 20 is disposed a hollow tube 40 having its upper end adjacent to the closed end thereof andits lower end hollow fitting 32. l

The porous members I! and20 may be formed of ceramic material or any other suitable material and secured at their open ends, as by cement, for example, to their associated hollow fittings 27' and 3'2,'respectively. The porous member I! is inherently permeable to a gas and repellent to a liquid accompanying the gas which is'im miscible therewith and which may be water or an aqueous solution, for example. When the liquid to be separated from a gaseous fluid is water or an aqueous solution, the material of which member I1 is formed is rendered water repellent in any suitable manner well known in the art while still permitting gaseous fluid to pass therethrough. The porous member I! can be made repellent to water by coating the surfaces. thereof with a water repellent composition, such as, for example, metallic soaps, plasticized polyvinyl chloride or certain synthetic resins. Barium stearate and paraffin are specific examples .of such water repellent compositions which have been successfully used for treating porous members of ceramic material to render such members hydrophobic. I

Water and aqueous solutions readily wet ceramic surfaces, and for this reason it is distinctly advantageous to form the porous member 28 of ceramic material to effect separation of such liquids. By reason of this inherent property of being readily wetted by water and aqueous solutions, ceramic materials are referred to as being hydrophilic and preferentially wetted. by water or aqueous solutions rather than by an organic liquid. When the ceramic material forming. member 20 is wetted and the pores thereof are filled with water or an aqueous solution, the member-2U is then conditioned so that it will be permeable to the liquid accompanying the gas and impervious to the gas.

vLet :ussuppose that the device II] is connected ina compressed air line which contains dirt and water in liquid phase. The air under pressure enters the chamber H5 at the inlet l2, and, since theporous'member- I! is permeable toany gas, the air will freely pass into the interior. of that member and into the hollow fitting 2'1. Such air can pass from the extreme open end of the fitting-'21" or through openings '42 in the side As shown I wall thereof into the chamber [9 and thence flow from the device through the outlet l4.

Water accompanying the air and entering chamber IE will contact the outer surface of the member 17, but, since that member is rendered water repellent, the member ll will not be wetted by the water and watericannot freely pass into the pores thereof. So long as the pressure differential across the wall of member ll does not exceed a predetermined maximum value,

'which'may be referred to as the rupture pressure, the interface between the air in the pores of the member ll and the water contacting the exterior surface thereof will not be ruptured and the air in the pores will not be displaced by water. The"rupture pressure is dependent ,upon severabfactors including the surface tensecured at 4! to the I sion of the liquid and the maximum pore size of the porous member. The rupture pressure increases for liquids having higher surface tensionvalue; and is inversely proportional. to' pore size and decreases with increase fin-the maximuini pore size of the porous member. Q The water entering-the chamber 116 may be.- in the form of a fine mist. or tiny. droplets; Such finev mist and tiny dropletszon the exterior sur.- face of the member l'i coalesce to form larger and heavier drops which eventually fall by gravity to the bottom. of chamber l6.v Sincethe porous member ll is inherently water repellent.v it will shed slugs ofv water whichmay accompany air entering thecham'ber l6. When the device-I'll is employed to remove water from a compressed airline;-for example; the porous member 2% is initially conditioned by filling the pores thereof withiwater. .While such conditioning maybe done by'soaking the member in a body of water this is a relatively slow.

procedure. It is preferablesto make use of -the pressure in the air line to'condition-the member. 20 for use. It is for this reason that the primingplug 39 is provided. iAfter the device It is. connected in position the plug .391 is 'r'emoved'and the chamber l6 filled with water until itovere; flows throughthe opening 38; The opening "38 is then closed by the plug 39 and the device H3: is subjected to the full-.rline ipressurelinthe'air' line. Since it has been stated above that :the porous member 28 may beformed of ceramic material which is readily .wetted-by water, the) water will be forced-through the pores ".of :the member 20 providing the air in chamber. i6 is under sufiicient pressure. 1 When the member 2E3 is initially conditioned the water level will build up in the interior thereof to the upper end of thetube 4'53 and then overflow through the latterbiritozthe chamber 2|. The opening 38 and primingplugi a're, therefore, at such 'a level that the-desired quan-" tity of liquid may be heldin the bottom part of chamber I6 to enable the member-'28 to be con ditioned for use. By providing. the tube 49 substantially the entire inner surface of member: 2!] will always be maintained in-a wetted state and there will be no dangerof 'the pores losing, their liquid filling byevaporation. Whil e'theliquid within member zil'does not contact the extreme top'inner'. surface thereof, the pores i'n' member 20 above the liquid level therein will also remain filled with liquid as the result of'-' liquid working upwardly through "the wall of inember 20 by. capillary attraction "or wi'ck'acion. 1m. I After the porous member 20 is conditioned for use'by filling the pores' thereofwith"water, the

water collecting in thebottom of the chamber lB- andcontacting; the member 20 will. pass through. the latter into the interior thereof. However, since the pores of member. are'filled with :liquid, air will not normally pass therethrough, So, long as thepressure difierential across .the wall-of member 20 does not exceed a predetermined maximum rupture pressure, the interface between the liquid in the pores of member 20 and the air contacting the exterior surface, thereof will not be ruptured and the water filling the pores will not be displaced by air. 1

It will v.be seen that the member 11 will affect the-gaspressure available at a place of use. For this reason it is desirable to employ a porous member I? having pores of relatively large size so that the pressure difierential across that member Will be as small as possible. In a device H! like that just described and shown in Fig. 1, it has been found that a porous member l1 having pores of about 100 microns in diameter is quite satisfactory for use in compressed air lines in which removal of water is desired. In compressed air lines ranging in pressure from 25 to 100 pounds per. square inch, the maximum pressure differential across such a-wall. member, having pores of about 100 microns in diameter, is in the neighborhood of from to, 16 inches of water column;

and this .has been found to be insufiicient to causev the air filling the pores to be displaced by water droplets at the outer surface of the member. Moreover, a porous member I! having pores of the size just mentioned-effectively promotes coalescing of tiny droplets of water at the outer surfacec-f the member. I I 3 -While the pressure differential across the member ,l l' is relatively small, the pressure differential established across the memberZtl is the full line from chamber [6, at the gas pressure prevailing therein, to the exterior'of the device It at atmospheric. pressure. In a device like that just described forremoving water from compressed air lines, the. porous member may have a maximum pore diameter of about 2 microns for ainpressures up to pounds per square inch; 0.9 micron for air pressures up to 50 poundsper square inch; 0.6 micron for air pressures up to'75 pounds per square inch; 0.4 micron forair pressures up to 100 pounds per square inch; and 0.3 micron for air pressures up to 150 pounds per square inch.

The pressures .J'ust' indicated are the rupture pressures for th specified maximum pore sizes. While the maximum pore diameter of 0.3 micron may be used for air pressures considerably below 15G pounds per square inch, and in a pressure range of 25 pounds per square inch, the flow rate of liquid through such a porous member would be exceedingly low. Hence, in each application the pressure differential across the porous member 20 is less than the rupture pressure and of "a magnitude which is correlated to the maximum pore size that may be used,'sothat an optimum rate of flow of liquid will be effected through the member 20 without causing th liquid filling the pores to be displaced by the gas.

It should be understood that the device in just described only'efifects phase separation of gaseous fluid'and another fluid in liquid phase-which accompanies andis' entrained inthe gaseous fluid and immiscible therewith. In other words, in order to remove water or aqueous solutions from a gas, 'such as air, for example the water or This is so because liquid is discharged 1 aqueoussolutions must be in liquid phase. T Water infvapor' form will pass through the member l1 togetherwith the gas flowing through the device HI. However; such phase separation is quite satisfactory in most commercial applications for removing moisture from a gas, Further, the porous member I! acts as a filter to remove foreign matterfrom the gas.v In order to prevent foreign matter from lodging on the porous member I! and clogging the latter, th shield '31 is provided immediately above that member.

vThe device iil is so constructed and arranged that the porous members I! and 26 may be removed for cleaning or. inspection and replacement, when necessary, without disturbing any permanent connections. Hence,'after the inlet and outlet l2 and l 4 are connected in the conduit 15 and the drain conduit 22 i connected to the bottom of casing Il,-;these connections-need not be disturbed when any attention is given to the device H). j Y j To. gain access to the porous members I! and 20 it is only necessary to remove the caps'29 and 34, respectively. The .hollow'fittings 27 and 32 are formed with polygonalextensions tii and 4-4, respectively, which project beyondthe walls of easing H. Hence, when the caps-.29 and 34 are removed, a tool can'be employed without difiiculty for removing and tightening {the hollow fittings to which the porous members H and 29 are fixed. The casing ll, including the partitions 23 and 3B and the shield 31, may be formed as a Single casting which only requires threading of certain openings therein to receive the plugs, caps .and fittings, and threading of, the remaining openings for making the necessary connections when the device isinstalledav In Fig. 3. is, shown a device Illa illustrating, anotherembodiment comprising a casing l Ia having apertured bosses IZa and I 4a forming inlet and outlet. openings, respectively,. which are at the same height and adapted to be connected in a conduit" I5 of a' gas line. The casing Ila may include top, intermediate and ,bottom sections llb, He and lid united at and 46,.in2any suitable manner, as by welding, for example. 1.

The topsection llb is formed with an-inter'nal shoulder 41 uponwhich restsan outwardly ex-- tending fiange 48 of a shield 31a depending downwa'rdly'irom the internal shoulder. The j shield 37a is cylindrical in form'and extends above and below the inlet lZa. i 1

A suitable resilient sealing gasket '49 overlies the flange 48 upon which in turn rests a flange 50 formed at the openend of a porous member Ila. The porous member Ila extends vertically downward within the shield 31a and the bottom closed end thereof projects beyondthe lower edge of the shield within'the intermediatesection 'I to ofthecasinglla. i The top section III) of the casing internally threaded to receive a tightening cap 5i having an opening 52 therein. A :cover plate 53 is removably secured by cap screws 54 to the top section I I b of the casingand is formed to provide a space 55 therein which is in communication with a chamber [911 formed at a side of the top section Nb and from the lower end of which gas is discharged through the outlet Ma. The cover plate 53 is provided with ana'pertured boss forming an opening 56 which isin alignment with the open ing 52 m cap 5-! and threadedly receives a plug 51.

The bottom section il'd is formed with an internal shoulder 58 at the bottom sideof which is disposed a resilient sealing gasket 53 against which in. turn snugly fits a flange 60 at thebottom open-end: or a porous member ma.- The porous member 2.0a extends upwardly within cosing' tic-and the upper closed end is at approximately' the. same lever as a priming plug 39a and opening 38a therefor which correspond to like parts in the embodimentof. Fig. 1.

The bottom section lid is: internally threaded to receive a tightening cap 6:! which bears against the flange 6'0, anda suitable resilient sealing gas ket 62" is provided between these parts. Al'IOl-IOW tube-we, which is fixed at. its lower end to the cap 6! at a central opening in the latter, extends upwardly within porous member znu and terminates at a region adjacent to the closed end thereof. A bottom cover plate 63 is threadedly secured to the bottom section Md and formed with a threaded opening to which a drain conduit 22a is removably secured.

The porous members [Ta and 202 may be formed of ceramic material like the members H and 20, respectively, in Fig. 1. The porous member Ha can be made water repellent by coating the surface thereof with any well known Water repellent composition which may include those referred toabove in describing the firstembodiment. When the device flla is inserted in a gas line, such asa compressed air lineto effect re-- moval of" water therefrom, for example, the bottom porous member 26a is initially conditioned in the same manner explainedabove inconnecnon-wan the porous member 26 of Fig. 1.

During operationa gas under pressure, such as air, for example, enters chamber flier at the inlet- [2a and impinges the shield 31a. The airis '3 deflected downwardly and then comes in contact and prevents directimpingement oi the orous member He by the gas stream, It such a shield were not provided, the maximum.- pore size permissiblein the member fl'c for a given gas pressure would be considerably smaller than actually necessary, and? the flow rate through: the member Ha would be reduced because this would require employing a member having pores unduly smali in size. By providing the shield 31h, the gas first deflected downwardly and substantially the entire surface area oi the orous member L-Tc is effectively utilized for gas to pass therethrough. Under such conditions the pressure difierentiaiacrossthe wall oimernber t'la is at a and dependent upon the entire surface area; presented to the gas by that If no shield 31c werejprovi ded. and the gas stream were allowed to impinge. the member Ha at the entering gas pressure, liquid. entrained. in the gas may have enough momentum or kinetic energy to be driven through the member l'flc over a small concentrated or localized area thereof directly opposite the inlet rm. Further, since only smalllocalized area of the: member flu would" be utilized under such circumstances, a high proportionof-the gas" would. tend to pass through such localized area of the member to produce an unduly high pressure diiterential across the wall of the-'inemberand the remaining surface area thereof would not be efficiently uti lized. As in the embodiment first described, the shield are prevents foreign matter accompany in'g thegas from lodging on the porous member I'Tw and clogging-thelatter;

A further embodimentof the invention il lustratecl in Figs. 4 and 5 is generallylike the devi-cefll'a of Fig. 3 and differs therefromin that the upper porous mem' ber comprises-a number of porous elements to obtain a high flow rate of gasthrough the device; As shown Fig. 5'; the" device ithcomprisesa casing l te-providing a chamber 1-66 and having apertured bosses i2?) andsuch water will. collect at the bottom of The tightening caps 51 and. B ll are formed with polygonalhead's or extensions. 6d and 65', respectively, which project .beyond the top and bottom of. easing Ha when the end cover plates 53. and 3 are removed. By providing. such extensions the use of; a'tool for tightening and removing the: caps 5i and 5! is facilitatedrwhichisimperae tive to insure obtaining a goodtightseal for operating the device Mia-at relatively high gas pressures Furthentheporous members Mai and. 280! may be removed from the chamber 6c without disturbing the connection, of the device Ida in i conduit L5 of the. gas line. However, the em:-

bodiment- (iii-Fig, 3.diiers from that of: Fig.v l in that removal: of the drain conduit .ZZwfrom: the device. ma may be necessary to: gain access to-the bottom porous member 2041;.

Trie -meld. am is in. the direct path. ofthe incoming gas stream passing through the inlet I'Za and mo forming inlet and outlet openings,x respectively; which are at the same height and adapted to be connectedin' the conduit i5 'A vertically disposed wall member which is annular in form, is ibrmed integrally within casing He. A partition or wallscctiori- 232i bridges spaced apart regions or the wall member 31b, as shown most clearly inFi'g. 5,-to icrma chamber flit which is in communication with the outlet 14b; The wali member 31b and wall section 23b together form a shield which is similar' to the shield 37a in Fig. 3 and. depends downwardly from the top edge of casing lle past the inlet [26.

'An' upper porous member ITb, which is adapted to be positioned within the shield just described, comprises a number of porous elements ITc cornpactly arranged alongside of each. other. The elements No Maybe formed of ceramic material and similar to thee1einents FT and [1a. in the previously described embodiments. The bottom closedv ends of elements flc project downwardly beyond the lower edge of the shield and the open top ends thereof are secured, as by cement, for example, within the enlarged ends of openings 66 formed. in a fitting or plate 2Tbwhich, if desired, may also beforrnedof ceramic material".-

Thfi pl alte. Zilbrests onv the top suriace ofl casing I to about the opening. tor-med by the wall member 31b and wall section z'fib-and is held position by an. overlying annular ring, it; which is removably secured by cap screws 68 to the top of easing lle. A top cover plate 69 is removably secured "of the device.

theenecessity of the" shield 371.

-- to be driven-- through: the member kinetic energy imparted thereto by the gas,'is

zel-iminatedl' The 1 vertical the-inlet iii-and serves as a baffieatwhich the byicapiscrews:I DFto'the casing I Ie and formed to providei a'a's'pac'e tII which is'in' communication with the space 19b. 4

'Anopening' formed at the small bottom end 'ofl casing I la threadedly receives a hollow fitting 32bxto which-is secured the lower open end of a porous member 2012-. The member Etta-extends upwardly within the chamber 'Itb approximately to tlie' lev'el of the opening-38b in the side wall ofthe casing He. A suitable elbow-fitting I2 is connected to the'opening 38b which threadedly receivesa'primin'g-plug 3%; Within the porous member 291) is provided a: tube Mlb'which is se .cured at 'its lower end at Mb to the fitting 32b andrserves to maintain the porous member 201) in 'a' wetted' state, as explained above. I

A removable drain plug I3 is provided'at'the bottom of casing lie to facilitate cleaning of the-chamber 16b. "At the bottom part of easing *Ile, helowthe'partition therein, is threadedly connected a drain conduit22'b. A bottom cover 'plate l.' l',r whi'ch:is formedto provide "a chamber 2-Ibwhen axes-an: position, is removably 'secured by'cap screws 1 5 to the casing He. "f'The' device lllb maybe employed to separate a iliquidpsuch as water and aqueous solutions, for example; from a gas'imm'iscible therewith in the tube separated, that member -is permeable't'o 'the'liquid whic'h isie'ntrained in the gas and foollec'tsiin the bottom of the chamber itb. Such liquid asses- 1mm chamber 2H) from which it flows through drain conduit '22?) to the exterior The porous member 2th is impervious to the gaseous iluidwhich can only pass through the elements G 10 of member I'lb; The gas from-which the entrained liquid is stripped passes through the "'walls of elements llc and through the openings 66 into the space ll. Fro-m space As in the embodiment of Fig. 1, access may be gained to th'eporousniembers Ill) and 25b without disturbing the" connections of the J device I b to "conduits' Ib 'and22b. The-hollow fitting 32b Tisi providedhwith an extension-" ltb 'like the extensionM of Fig. 1 to facilitate connecting and rem'oving that fitting when the bottomcover plate Wil is removed." When the top cover 'plate 69 is to that illustr'ated in' Fig. l and differs therefrom irr't-hat' the upper porous memberis above rather than below. the inlet 42a, thereby. eliminating The. parts are so disposed in Fig. 6 that direct impingement of the porous; member i l by the gas streamicntering through-the inlet i2. is avoided. Thus, the member I-l "i -spaced a 4 sufficient distance above :the

inlet I 2 so; that anytendency forientrained liquid H, by the partition 23 is directly opposite .samerewrence numerals: The operation of the device-we ls generally. like that explained above in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 1 and will not needlessly be repeated here. i, In Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive isv illustrated a device I 0d which diiTers from the embodiments-prev? ously described in that both porous members are horizontally disposed and positioned above and below the inlet and outlet openings Theidevice llld comprises a casing Hf providing a chamber I60 and having apertured bosses forming inlet and to be connected in the conduit I5.

The casing is formed with a vertically disposed partition 240 which extends from the top'to the bottom thereof and a horizontal partition 250 which is just below the outlet opening I409 The partitions 24c and 250 form an upper chamber I90 in communication with the outlet Moand a lower chamber 2Ic which is belowthe cham her I90. The partition 240 is formed with two openings 26c and 3Ic which are in alignment with openings 28c and 33b, respectivelyQatthe end wall of casing Ilf adjacent t-o'the outlet-MC. A hollow fitting 21c, to'which the open endare porous member I I0 is secured, is threadedly connected in the opening 260; andanothen'hollow fitting 32c, to which the open end of a 'p'orous outlet openings 12 and Me, respectively, adapted member-20c is secured, is threadedlyconnectetl' in the opening 3lc. 'Theopenings ZB'c'and'. 33c threadedly receivecaps 29c and Mcfrespectivly, and are suflioiently. largeto permit-the'hollow fittings 21c and 32c-andassociatedporous'mem here to pass therethrough, as in the embodiment of'Fig.1.' l I x The top and bottom of easing l I f are provided with apertured bosses forming openings threadedly receiving plugs It and TI, respectively. At the opposing sides of the casing ar provided apertured" bosses forming openings 3&0 which receive removable priming plugs 390', as shown most clearly in Fig. 91 The openings etc and plugs 39c thereforare located above theporous member 200 and are at such a :-1eveljthat the desired quantity of liquid may he 'poured'ainto chamber I6c until it overflows through eitherone of the openings 38c to insure proper conditioning of the porous member 260, as explained'iabove in connection with the previous embodiments:

Additional apertured bosses forming openings I8 and 79 are also provided at theopposing sides of the casing H7 at the region of chamberxZIc. The opening I8 may be'closed by. a removable plug 80 while a drain conduit22c is connected to the other opening I9. The openings--18 and I9 are at the same level as the openings 380130 insure that the pores. of the porous member 200 will remain in a Wetted state after the member 200 has been initially conditioned. i In the operation of the device Hid, gasunder pressure enters chamber I60 through the inlet I20. The member He is positioned relativeto the inlet I20 so that direct gas. impingement thereof by the gas stream, which would tend to drive entrained liquid therethrough,,is avoided. The gas from which the entrained liquidwi's stripped passes through thewall of member He and into the hollow fitting 210; The gas may passthrough the extreme open end of the filling and through the side openingsdZc into the chamber I from which it is discharged from. the device lfld through the outlet Hie I Liquid entrained in the gas passing into chamber I60 collects in the bottom'of thechamber and contacts the porous member 260 LThe'poarous member 200 is impervious 'to'the gasl'but permeable to the liquid which passes; thereous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the gaseous fluid and another outlet for the liquid to be separated therefrom, said casing having an aperture and a removable closuremember therefor, partition means in said casing in cluding a filter unit forming a first wall between the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet and a porous member forming another wall between the inlet and liquid outlet, the filter unit including a ho]- low candle of porous material closed at one end and open at the other end and a hollow base to which the open end is secured, and the hollow base being removably connected to the first wall at the vicinity of the aperture whereby the filter unit may be removed from and inserted into position in the casing through the aperture without disturbing the conduit connections adapted to be made at the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet, the candle being permeable to the gaseous fluid and impervious to the liquid to be separated therefrom and the porous member being permeableto the liquid to be separated and impervious to the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filled with the liquid.

4. A device adapted to be connected in a conduit through which a gaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from such fluid accompanying liquid immiscible therewith, said device comprising a casing having an inlet for thegaseous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the gaseous fluid and another outletfor the liquid to -be separated therefrom, partition means in the casing including a first removably connected filter unit forming a, wall between the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet and a second removably connected filter unit forming another wall between the inlet and liquid outlet, each filter unit including a hollow candle of porous material closed at one end and open at theopposite end, and said casing having openings and removable closure'members therefor at the vicinity of each filter unit whereby each filterunit may be independently removed from and inserted into position in the casing through one of the-openings without disturbing the conduit connections adapted to be made at the inletand gaseous fluid outlet, the candle of the first filter unit being permeable to the gaseous fluid and impervious to the liquid to be separated therefrom and the candle of the second filter unit being permeable to the liquid to be separated and impervious to the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filled with the liquid. I

5. A device adapted to be connected in a conduit through which agaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from such fluid accompanying liquid immiscible therewith, said device comprising a casing having an inlet for the gaseous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the gaseous fluid and another outlet for the liquid to be separated therefrom, said casing having a number of apertures and removable closure members therefor, partition means in said casing including a first filter unit forming a wall between the inlet and gaseous fluid-outlet and a second filter unit forming another wall between the inlet and liquid outlet, each of the filter units including a hollow I candle of porous material closed at one end and open at the opposite end and a hollow base to which the open end is secured, and the hollow base of each filter unit being removably connected to one of the walls at the vicinity of an aperture whereby each filter unit maybe removed from and positioned in the casing through an aperture without disturbing the'conduit connections adapted to be made at the inlet and both of the outlets, the candle of the first filter unit being permeable to the gaseous fluid and impervious to the liquid to be separated therefrom and the candle of-the second filter unit being permeable to the liquid to be separated and impervious to-the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filledwith the liquid.

6. A device adapted to be connected in a conduit through which a gaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from such fluid accompanying liquid immiscible therewith, said device comprising a casing having an inlet for the gaseous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the gaseous fluid and another outlet for the liquid to be separated therefrom, partition means in the casing including a filter unit forming a first wall between the inlet and gaseous fluidoutlet and aporous member forming another wall between the inlet and the liquid outlet, the filter unit including a hollow candle of porous material closed at one end and open at the opposite end and a hollow base to which the open end is secured, said casing having an aperture and a removable closure member therefor, and the hollow base being threadedly connected to the first wall and having apart extending exteriorly of the casing through the aperture whereby the filter unit may be inserted into and removed from the casing through the aperture and the hollow base may be secured in position at the firstwall and removed therefrom with the aid of a tool adapted to grip the exteriorly extending part, the candle being permeable to the gaseous fiuid'an-d impervious to the accompanying liquid to be separated therefrom and the porous member being permeable to the liquid'to be separated and impervious to the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filled with liquid. i

'7. A device adapted to" beconne'cted in aconduit through which'a gaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from such 'fluidaccompanying liquid immiscible "therewith, saiddevice comprising a casing having an inlet for the gaseous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the'g'aseous fluid and another outlet for the at oneend and open at the opposite end and a hollow base to which the open end is secured,

the hollow'bas'es of the filter units being removably connected to the first and second walls, re-

spectively, and each having a part extending exteriorly of the casing through one of the apertures whereby each filter unit may be inserted into and removed from the casing through one of the apertures and the hollow bases may be secured in position at the Walls and removed therefrom with "the aid of a tool adapted to grip the exteriorly extending parts thereof, the candle of the first I filter unit being permeable to thevgaseous fluid 7 thereof are filled with the liquid.

8. A device adapted to be connectedin aconduit through which a gaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from suchv fluid accompanying liquidimmiscible therewith, said device comprising a casing having an inlet'for the gas eous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outletfor the gaseous fluid and another outlet for the liquid to be separated therefrom, means including a firstporous member forming a wall between the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet, the first porous member being permeable to the gaseous fluid and impervious to the accompanying-liquid to be separated therefrom, means including a second porous member. forming a wall between the inlet and the liquid outlet and a path of flow for the liquid from the discharge face of the second porous member to the liquid outlet, the second porous member being permeable to the liquid to be separated, and impervious to the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filled with-the liquid, said last-mentioned means be ingformedand-"so arranged with respect to the liquid outlet that a body of the liquid maybe collected and maintained in contact with. the discharge face of said second porous member to promote keeping the pores thereof filled with liquid, and said casing having an opening and a removable closure therefor to facilitate filling the device with the liquid to a predetermined level therein after conduit connectionsadapted to be made at the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet are completed, the lastementioned opening being located with respect to the second porous memher so that the pressure of the gaseous fluid inthe conduit in whichth'e device is adapted to be con- ,nected will cause such liquid to pass through the second-porous memberv and fill the pores thereof with liquid to render that member impervious to the'gaseous fluid and also form the bodyof liquid adapted to contact the discharge face thereof.

9. A-device adapted to be connected in a conduit through which a gaseous fluid flows under pressure forseparatingwfrom such fluid accomfrom and the second porous memberbeing p-er meable to the liquid to bev separated and impervious to the gaseous fluid when the pores thereof are filled with liquid, and a shield forthe first porous. member interposed between the latter and saidinlet, whereby foreign matter accompanying the gaseous fluid and entering the casing at the inlet is prevented from lodging on and clogging that member.

10. A device adapted to be connected in an upright position in a conduit through which a gaseous fluid flows under pressure for separating from such fluid accompanying liquidimmiscible therewith, said device comprisin a casing having an .inlet for the gaseous fluid and accompanying liquid and an outlet for the gaseous fluid and-another outlet for the liquid to be separated therefrom, means including a first porous member forming a wall between the inlet and gaseous fluid outlet and a second porous member forming another wall between the inlet and the liquid outlet,-the first porous member being permeable to the. gaseous fluid and impervious tothe liquid to be separated therefrom and. the second porous first porous membercomprising .a vertically. disposed hollow candle closed at the bottom and open at the top, the casing having the inlet at'a side wall thereof atthe region of the candle, and an annular sleeve disposed about the candle for shielding the latter from foreign matter accompanying the gaseous fluid adaptedqto enter the casing at the inlet, said sleeve being arranged within the casing todeflect the gaseous fluidand causedownwa-rd flowthereof at the'outer surface of the sleeve before passing through the candle which is'permeable to the gaseous fluid. I I

11. A device-adapted to-be connected inan-upright position in'a horizontally disposed conduit through whichia gaseous fluid flows under pressure,,:ior separating from such fluid accor pa-nying liquid immiscible therewith, said device comprising a casinghaving at opposite-sides thereof at approximately the same level a normal inlet connectionior the gaseousfluid and) accompanying' liquid and a, normal outlet connection for the gaseous fluid, said casing having at the bottom part thereof another outlet for thegliquid to be separated, means includinga first porous member in the top part of the casing'forming, a wall betweenthe inlet, and the gaseousfluid, out,- let and a second porous member beneath the first porous member and ;-in the bottom part. of

the casing forming a wall between the-inlet: and

- the liquid, the top of the casing having an aper- 'ture and removable closure member therefor,

such aperture serving as an alternate connection for the device when it is desired to connect a conduit thereto at a right-angle: bend of piping in which: the device is adapted tobe connected,

ponents, partition means in said body comprising a wall interposed between said inlet and one of said outlets and separating an'inlet, space with which said 'inlet directly communicates; anda-n outlet space to which one of said outlets directly communicates, said partition wall and the adjacent portion of the hollow body being formed with registering openings, 9, filter element comprising an annular fitting detachably seated in said part ition wall opening and a filter bodyof porous material permeable to one but not the'other of said fluid components secured in said fitting and uniting with the latter to form a removable porous closure for said partition wall Opening,

and a closure for said body opening removable to permit access to and the removal of said filter element. v

13. A device adapted to be connected ina conduit through which fluid flows under pressure for separating liquid and gaseous components ofisaid fluid, said device comprising a casing including. a

hollow body having an inlet for said fluid, and separate outlets for said gaseous and liquid components, partition means in said body comprising a wall interposed between said inlet and one of said outlets and separating an inlet space with which said inlet directly communicates, and an outlet space to which one of said outlets directly communicates, said partition wall and the adjacent portion of the hollow body being formed with registering openings, 3, filter element comprising an annular fitting detachably seated in the partition wall opening and a hollow filter body of porous material permeable to one but not the other of said fluid components, closed at one end and open at its other end and having its last mentioned end extending into and anchored in said annular fitting and having its body portion within said inlet chamber, and a closure for said body opening removable to permit access to and the removal of said filter element.

ALFONS A. FURCZYK.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,702 Massey May 22, 1894 1,780,156 Hall Nov. 4, 1930 1,957,418 Willson May 1, 1934 1,970,843 Curtis Aug. 21, 1934 2,009,352 Adams July 23, 1935 2,014,034 Williams Sept. 10, 1935 2,061,517 Kenny Nov. 17, 1936 2,068,048 Adams Jan. 19, 1937 2,377,549 Gustafsson et a1. June 5, 1945 2,404,872 Walker July 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,321 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1927 380,002 Italy Apr. 16, 1940 484,839 France Nov. 13, 1917 545,400 Great Britain May 22, 1942 I 

